Corner construction for trunks, boxes, and the like.



G. H. WHEARY.-.

' CORNER CONSTRUCTION FOR TRUNKS, BOXES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1915.

1,23QQ480 Patented Aug. 7,1917.

ATTU/QNQYE GEORGE EENRY WHEARY, OF RAGINE, WISCONSIN.

CORNER CONSTRUCTION FOR TRUNKS, BOXES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Aug t, 1911?.

Application filed June 12, 1915. Serial No. 33,697.

' and useful Improvements in Corner Constructions for Trunks, Boxes, and the like, of which the following isa description, reference being had to the accompanying draw; ings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in edge constructions. for trunks, boxes, and the like. v

Heretofore in the construction of trunks, particularly of the cheaper grade, the body of the trunk has been made up of pieces of lumber nailed together on all edges, and

covered on the outside with canvas, or other material. Almost the entire strength of this type of trunk has resided in the joining points of the lumber, and these joining points or edges were fastened together by nails, It will be readily understood that these nails themselves formed the only resistance to the hard bumps and knocks to which the trunk will be subjected. It was, of course, neces sary in this style of trunk to provide thick lumber, in order to secure the necessary strength to permit of the nailing of the sides or panels together. The nails in this old style of trunk are generally arranged in a single line, joining the edges of the trunk together and these nails were driven into the'lumber. Tt followsthatatrunk of the character described is open to the objection that if it is thrown down so that the edge strikes the ground, the shock will be concentrated at the edge, and it naturally follows that the edge will become loosened and the strength of the trunk decidedly'impaired.

The construction of trunk above mentioned was followed by a trunk styled a reinforced trunk, employing separate wooden edge pieces, the exterior surfaces of said edge pieces oftentimes being of rounded contour so as to present round edges for all of the edges of the trunk. These edge pieces have been provided with shoulders against which the edges of the sides or pan- 1 devices and parts,

els of the trunk abut; in other words, the edges of the sides have a dove-tailed connection with the edge pieces, and all the nails from the sides of the trunk enter the reinforced edge obliquely, not perpendicularly.

While the round edge construction last referred to has proven a great improvement over the previously referred to square edge construction, yet even this last referred to construction is open to some objections and disadvantages, among which may be mentioned the fact that in said construction it is necessaryto cover the numerous edges or joints with a covering of fiber, metal, or other material, in order to give the edges a finished appearance.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a construction wherein the use of lumber at the edge pieces is rendered entirely unnecessary, so that, if desired, not only can the edge pieces be made of metal, but the side pieces or panels of the trunk or box can also be made of metal, or material havin like qualities, or fiber, if preferred, ther by enabling very thin material to be used in the make-no of the trunk or box, in view of the fact that it is not necessary in the improved constructioili to drive nails edgewise into the materia Another important object of the invention is the provision of resilient edge pieces, the resiliency permitting the trunk to resist shocks, when thrown heavily to the ground, and which so frequently occurs during transortation of trunks or boxes.

With the above, and other incidental objects in view, the invention consists of the or the equivalents thereof, as hereinaftenmore fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one corner of a trunk or box equipped with my improvements, showing the corner fixture secured in place;

Fig. 2 is a similar view corner fixture removed;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; I

Fig.

showing the said t is a cross-section taken on the same plane as Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of construction; and

horizontal piece are separated from each other, as clearly shown in the drawing, and

are united by means of the improved edge pieces herein shown and described.

The improved edge piece is advisably formed of metal, preferably sheet steel, as I this material will best serve to secure the resiliency, spring, or yielding quality which is desired. However, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself specifically to sheet steel, or other metal but wish to be understood as considering other materials which are capable of being bent and formed as shown in the drawing, as within the spirit and scope of my lnvention.

In the Figs. 1 to 3 form of construction, each elongated edge piece is shown as constructed from a singlepiece of material bent to form an intermediate member 8 of rounded form, or convex on its outer surface. Two legs 99, each leg formed by doubling the material upon itself, and terminal securing flanges 10'1O are provided. The edge piece is so arranged that the re spective legs 9 abut against opposed edges of the sides or panels of a trunk or box, and the respective end securing flanges 10 lie against and are secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels. Any desirable means for securing the flanges may be adopted, but I prefer to employ rivets 11 driven through said flanges and through the sides or panels of the trunk or box, the heads of the, rivets bearing against the outer faces of the sides or panels, and the ends of the rivets being upset against washers 12.

Where the ends of two of the horizontal edge pieces are adjacent to the end of the vertical edge piece, the flanges 1O overlap,

as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the space or opening which would otherwise be left between adjacent ends of said edge pieces is bridged by a corner fixture 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the foregoing description of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 that opposed edges of the sides or panels of the trunk or box are not in contact with each other, but are held spaced apart by the intermediate member 8, the said opposed edges occupying diagonal planes with respect to each other. It, therefore, follows that a trunk or boxhaving edges of the character described, and

especially when composed of spring metal,

when getting the hard knocks to which they are invariably subject, will resist the shock owing to the resilience or spring of the material forming the edge piece; and in the Figs. 1 to 3 form of construction wherein the member 8 is of rounded formation, no sharp corners are presented, whereby liability of injury to the trunk is greatly reduced.

A further advantage of my construction is that the use of nails can be entirely dispensed with, merely rivets passing through the securing flanges and through the sides or'flanges being required.

Furthermore where wooden edge pieces are employed, as heretofore, it has been necessary'for appearance sake, to cover not only the sides or panels, but also the wooden edge pieces with canvas, fiber, metal or other material, in order to give the edges a finished appearance. In the present invention, the use of wooden edge pieces is rendered unnecessary, so that, if desired, not only can I the edge pieces be made of metal, or material having like qualities, thus making the structure fireproof, but'furthermore very thin material such as metal, fiber or thin wood can be employed, inasmuch as nails are not necessary, and also an outer covering of canvas, fiber, metal and the like is not essential as the paneling and edge pieces may be of uniform and ornate material. The modification illustrated in Fig. 4; of the drawing is similar to the Figs. 1 to 3 form excepting that'the intermediate member, which is designated in Fig. 4 by the numeral 8 is'of angular form on its outer surface, instead of rounded form.

Fig. 5 illustrates a'modification wherein the legs, designated in Fig. 5 by the numeral which are against said inner sides of the panels.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An edge construction for trunks, boxes and the like, consisting of a strip of material having an outer medial portion, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, and outer terminal securing'portions.

2. An edge construction for trunks, boxes and the like, consisting of a strip of spring material having an outer medial spring portion, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, and outer terminal securing portions.

3. An edge construction for trunks, boxes and the like, constructed from a strip of flat spring metal, bent to form a medial outwardly curved spring portion, inwardly ex- 4. An edge constructionfor, trunks, boxes and the like, constructed from a single piece of flat spring metal, bent to form a medial outwardly curved spring portion, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by don-- bling the material upon itself, said leg portions provided with extensions extending at angles therefrom, and terminals securing members.

5. The combination with a trunk, box and the like, comprising sides or panels spaced apart edgewise, of devices disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of the sides or panels, each device consisting of an outer medial portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or panels, inwardly extending leg portions, said leg portions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels.

6. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising sides or panels spaced apart edgewise, of devices disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of the sides or panels, each device composed of spring metal having an outer medial spring portion bridging the space between the noncontacting edges of the sides or panels, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, said leg portions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions bearing against and secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels.

7. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising side pieces or panels spaced apart edgewise, of devices disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of the sides or panels, each device constructed from a single piece of flat spring metal, bent to form an outer medial spring portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or panels, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the metal upon itself, said leg portions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions bearing against and secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels.

8. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising side pieces or panels spaced apart edgewlse, of devices disposed alongthe non-contacting corner edges of the sides orpanels, each device consisting of a single piece of flat spring portion, bent to form an outer medial outwardly curved spring portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or panels, outwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, said leg portions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions bearing edges of the sides panels, inwardly self, said leg against and secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or the like, comprising side pieces or panels spaced apart edgewise, of devices disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of the sides or panels, each device composed of a medial portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or panels, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, said leg portions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and said doubled material extending at angles from the leg portions, the extensions bearing against the inner surfaces of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions opposite the extensions, and bearing against and secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels.

10. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising sides or panels spaced apart edgewise, a device disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of thesides or panels, each device consisting of an outer medial portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or panels, inwardly extending leg portions constructed by doubling the material upon itself, said leg portions bearing against the or panels, and outer terminal securing portions bearing against and secured to the outer surfaces of the, sides or panels, and a corner fixture secured in place and covering the opening which would otherwise be left at the point where the ends of a plurality of the devices are adjacent to each other.

11. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising sides or panels spaced apart edgewise, a device disposed along the non-contacting corner edges of the sides or panels, each device consisting of an outer medial portion bridging the space between the non-contacting edges of the sides or structed by doubling the material upon itportions bearing against the edges of the sides or panels, and outer terminal securing portions bearing against and secured to the outer surfaces of the sides or panels, the said securing portions of the several devices having overlapping engagement one with the other at the point of meeting of said terminal portions, and a corner fix ture secured in place and covering the opening which would otherwise be left at the point where the ends of a plurality of the devices are adjacent to each other.

12. The combination with a trunk, box or the like, comprising sides or panels spaced apart edgewise, of devices disposed along extending leg portions 0011- its medial portion bridging the space between posed against and secured to the outer surthe non-contacting edges of the sides or faces of the sides or panels. 10 panels, leg portions constructed by doubling In testimony whereof, I afiix my signathe material upon itself, said leg portions ture, in presence of two witnesses.

5 being on inclined planes converging in- GEORGE HENRY WHEARY. I

wardly, the said inclined leg portions bear- Witnewes: ing against the inclined edges of the sides or AL. A. BITTER,

panels, and terminal securing portions dis- GEORGE BENNISH. 

